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May 1 return no longer in Teixeira's plans

ST. PETERSBURG -- First baseman Mark Teixeira had optimistically circled May 1 as a target for his return from an injured right wrist, but he now acknowledges he will not meet that goal.

Teixeira has been able to take dry swings from both sides of the plate and feels no pain, but he said that the wrist is not loose enough to hit baseballs, making it unlikely that he will be able to return in the minimum timeframe.

"Obviously, I was being as optimistic as I could," Teixeira said. "I wish that the very first time I swung a bat, I'd be like, 'Wow, I feel 100 percent.' But the chances of that happening weren't there, but I was always going to hope for that and prepare for that."

Teixeira tore the tendon sheath in his right wrist while preparing for the World Baseball Classic in March. He believes he can make it back to the lineup in May, but manager Joe Girardi does not want to put a timetable on Teixeira's return.

"I've said all along, this is probably the most unpredictable one," Girardi said. "Derek [Jeter] has become somewhat really unpredictable, too, but wrists are really tricky. You go day by day, week by week, and you see how he's doing. Eventually, if you can get him in games, you have a much better idea."

Because Teixeira is not ready to play in Minor League games, he will accompany the team to New York after Wednesday's game instead of staying in Florida to continue workouts.

"It's good to have [head athletic trainer] Steve [Donohue] and the doctors there just on an everyday basis after I swing to look at the range of motion and make sure everything's good," Teixeira said.

Bryan Hoch is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @bryanhoch and read his MLBlog, Bombers Beat. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.